Machine for making skived blanks.



L. L. HARTWELL.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SKIVED BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12,1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

3 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

rm: NORRIS PETERS co, WASHINGTON, n. c

Aug. 23, 1910.

sums SHEET 2.

Patented L. L. HARTWELL. MACHINE FOR MAKING SKIVED BLANKS APPLICATION FILED Am}. 12, 1909.

/N\/EI/\/TEIR Zeslie LffafiwaZZ Ill/ll]? UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

LESLIE L. HARTWELL, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO ARTHUR Gr. WALTON, OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SKIVED BLANKS.

SerialINo. 512,518.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE L. HARTWELL, of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Skived Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making skived blanks suitable for heel counters, taps, etc., and has particular reference to machines adapted to sever a blank longitudinally into two parts, the severing out being inclined relatively to the surfaces of the sheet or blank so that each part which constitutes a complete blank has a skived longitudinal edge formed by the cutter which severs the blank sheet. blank sheet is to be used for two heel counters, the act of severing produces the longitudinal skived edge on each part, the other edges of each of the parts being then skived in any suitable manner.

For convenience of description, the article or work will be hereinafter referred to as a counter, Figure 1 of the drawings showing a blank of a suitable form to produce two counters. As will be readily understood, a particular advantage resulting from cutting a blank of a size sufficientto form two counters, into two parts so as to form two counters is of saving a considerable proportion of the leather, the saving equaling what would have to be removed from the longitudinal edges of two counters if each counter were made from a single blank.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a machine capable of operating on stock of different thickness without materially varying the width of the skived edges.

Other objects are to provide a simple and easily operated machine of this type or for this purpose which will avoid the scattering of fine particles of leather, by severing the blank by means of a shear out.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

When such severed' Fig. 3 represents a detailed section on a line similar to that of Fig. 2, but on a larger scale, and showing also in elevation the means for supporting the end gage, the parts being in the relative positions which they occupy to permit the insertion of the work. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in the position which they occupy after the work is clamped in position and the knife has descended. Fig. 5 is a detailed view similar to but on a larger scale than Fig. 4. and showing a thin piece of stock about to be operated upon by the knife. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating a thicker piece of stock in position to be cut.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all of the views.

A table or platform 10, is supported by legs 11, which may be connected by suitable tie-bars if desired. Rising from the platform 10, are two standards 12, which are provided with horizontal ways for a bar 13, to which the knife 1%, is secured as by bolts 15. The upper ends of the standards are connected by a cross-bar 16, to which a fixed bed-member 17 is bolted, said bedmember having a beveled rear face against which the work is clamped by the movable bed-member hereinafter described. The knife works against the front flat face of said fixed bed-member and is provided with inclined slots 18 into which rolls 19 project, said rolls being mounted on pins carried by the standards so that as the knife-bar and the knife attached thereto are reciprocated, the knife will move in a direction to operate on the work with a shear cut. The reciprocating movements of the knife-bar are obtained by means of a link 20, pivotally connected at one end to said knife-bar at 21, and having its other end connected to a crank 22, carried by a shaft 23, which is mounted in suitable bearings carried by a bracket 24., (see Fig. 1) and an upright 25, (see Fig. 2). The shaft 23, may be driven by a suitable belt, not shown, applied to a wheel 26, having a suitable clutch connection 27 with the shaft, the clutch being operatively closed by means of a link 28 and a foot-treadle 29. Since any suitable form of clutch may be employed, the details thereof are not illustrated. The shaft 23 has a beveled pinion 30 meshing with a beveled pinion 31 carried by a shaft 32, supported Patented A110. 23, 191( .10 r j which the shaft passes.

by suitable bearings, not shown, the .said shaft being'at a right angle to the shaft 23 and, extending toward the right of Fig. 1 and having near its end. a cam 33 to engage a roll 34 carried by a yoke'35 having a .slot 36 through which the shaft 32 projects. The yoke 35 has a rod extension 37 which is vertically reciprocated by means of the cam acting on the roll of the yoke, said yoke being guided by means of the slot 36 through The connections and operations of the rod 37 will be presently described.

The movable bed-member against which the work is placed by the operator isindicated at 38, and it is oscillated to clamp the work between it and the fixed bed-member. The said movable member 38is'provided with arms 39 having curved ribs co-acting with similar curved ways 40 in bearing blocks 41 supported by the table or platform 10. In order that said bearing blocks may be accurately set to cause the axis of oscillation of the movable memberto coincide with the shoulder y of the movable bedmember, preferably employ such devices as adjusting screws 42 and screws or bolts the movable stop when the parts are able member up 43. The movable member 38 is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm 44 hav ing its end pivotally connected with a block 45 mounted on the rod 37 between a collar 46 adjustably mounted on the rod 37 and the'upper end of a spring 47, said spring being coiled on the rod 37 and held under the requisite compression by means of nuts 48 at the lower end of the rod. It will now be understood that, as the shaft 32 rotates, the cam 33 secured thereto acts on the roll of the yoke to raise the rod 37 and, through the spring 47, acts on the arm of bed-member to oscillate the latter to close the upper portion of said movbehind the fixed bed-member 17 so as to clamp a piece of work m, as shown in Fig. 4, this clamping action being a yielding one, owing to the spring 47, and thereby forming practically the same amount of clamping action upon stock of varying thicknesses. The shape of the cam 33 is such that the movable bed-member is held in clamping position during the greater part of one cycle of the machine, and when the depression of the cam passes under the roll 34, the yoke and the rod are permitted to drop, and the movable bed-member 38 opens to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to permit the two parts of the blank to be removed and a new blank inserted. In practice the operation of the clutch 27 is such that the machine will automatically in the position shown in Fig. 2, and be started again by actuating the treadle 29. A grasping plug 49 is shown mounted in a recess in the acting face of the movable bed-member, said plug beingv pressed forward by a spring 50. There may be two or more of such spring pressed plugs to engage different portions of the work.

Theblank which has to be cut is introduced by hand by a rearward and somewhat upward movement to insert the upper edge behind the lower edge of the fixed bedmember 17. To determine'the proper location for the blank I provide one or more top gages 51. The drawings illustrate only one top gage but as will be obvious there may be two or more of such top gages. Said gage is shown as mounted in a recess 52 formed in the movable bed-member, said recess being of a size to practically receive the top gage entire; in other words, so that the top gage can be pressed back into said recess when the 'movable bed-member is oscillated to closing position on the work. Said gage is pivoted at 53 to an ear 54 carried by a plate 55 secured to the movable bed-member by a screw or bolt 56. Between said plate 55 and the surface of the bed-member to which it is secured by the screw, a washer 57 is mounted. By using washers of varying thickness, substituting one for another, the

position of the pivot 53 may be varied as may be readily understood so as to vary the distance at which the lower edge of the gage 51 will stand relatively to the point at which the knife severs the blank. As has been stated, the member 17 is fixed, and the knife moves down below the lower sharp edge of said fixed member. Therefore, the knife will always enter the work at the same point. When larger counters are to be formed, the blank :0 will be larger and therefore I provide for adjusting the top gage in the manner described so as to accommodate blanks of different widths. As certain sizes of counters are known by certain numbers, the particular washer 57 to be used under the plate 55 can have a numberto accord with the number of the counter, or the pair of counters to be formed from the blank w.

The pivoted gage 51 is provided with an arm 58 having a pin 59 on which a spring 60 bears, said spring being secured to the plate 55 by a screw 61. This spring 60 tends to normally hold the gage 51 in the position shown in Fig. 3, but permits the gage to be pushed back into the recess 52 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, when the movable bed-member is oscillated to grasp the work or blank between the spring plug or plugs 49 and the rear wall of the fixed bed-member 17.

In order that .the operator may determine the proper location for one end of the blank, I provide an end gage 62 which may be adjusted in its location as hereinafter described. In order that said gage 62 may be automatically shifted out of position below the descending knife, after said gage has performed its duty of indicating the proper location for the blank, the said gage is pivoted at 63 to a swinging carrier 64 pivoted at 65 to an arm 66 rising from a bar 67 which is secured to the front edge of the table or platform 10. Said bar 67 is formed with slots 68 through which screws 69 pass into said table or platform, to enable the bar to be adjusted to give the proper lateral location to the gage 62. The front edge of the platform is shown as provided with a scale 7 3 to cooperate with one end of the bar 67 in determining the proper location for the end gage 62. The swinging carrier 64 is provided with a slot 70 which receives a pin 71 projecting from the end gage 62, a spring 7 2 being secured to the carrier 64 and bearing against the said gage 62 to hold it yieldingly in contact with the movable bedmember 38 as long as the carrier 64 is in the position shown in Fig. 3. .The lower end of the carrier 64 is pivotally connected by means of the link 74 with an ear 75 secured to the lower end of the movable bed-member As will be readily understood by comparing Figs. 3 and 4, when the movable bedmember is in position and ready to receive the blank, the carrier 64 is held swung over, by means of the link 74, so as to hold the end gage 62- in position to enable the operator to properly locate the work. But as soon as the movable bed-member is swung to closing position on the work, the link 74 causes the carrier 64 to move or swing the end gage 62 bodily away from its former posit-ion so as to be out of the way of the descending knife 14.

WVhen the movable bed-member 38 is in the position shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the work or blank 03 is grasped firmly and held by the pressure of the plug or plugs 49 en gaging one face of the blank and clamping it against the rear face of the fixed bedmember 17 near the lower edge of the latter. The member 38 is cut away as at 7 6 so that the face of said member as a whole presents a ridge or shoulder at y. The curved ribs at the ends of the member 38, and the ways 40 in the block 41 are in the arc of a circle of which the shoulder g is the center. Consequently, no matter what may be the position of the member 38, the position of the shoulder 2 never varies. Said shoulder is also in line with the edge of the knife 14, and the throw of the knife 14 is such that its edge, when in its lowest position, only reaches or just passes the shoulder y. It will be readily understood therefore that, no matter what the thickness of the blank or work 00 may be, the distance from the point at which the knife enters the work to the point where the knife completes its severing action, must always remain the same. This is because, as best illustrated by comparing Figs. 5 and 6, the front face of the work or blank 00 is in contact with the rear surface of the fixed member 17 the lower edge of which is approximately at the elevation indicated by the dotted line a, while the rear face of the work or blank :20 is in cont-act with the ridge or shoulder y, the distance of which from the lower edge of fixed member 17 is indicated by the dotted line Z). Since the distance between the lower edge of fixed member 17 and the ridge or shoulder y is always the same, no matter how much the movable member 38 may be swung outward to accommodate a greater thickness of the work or blank, the cut produced by the knife must always be of the same length although the angle of bevel or inclination is variable according to the thickness of the blank. The parts are so proportioned that this bevel or inclination shall be just that which is desired and which is usually produced by skiving. From this explanation it will be understood that the width of the skiving produced by this machine is always the same no matter what may be the thickness of the blank or work. Broadly speaking, the knife 14 is a cutter member, and the swinging bed 38 is a worksupporting member, the latter being automatically variable in its angle relatively to the cutter member 14 according to the thickness of the work, and thereby the distance between the points where the cutter member enters and leaves the work will be practically uniform in pieces of different thicknesses so that the skived edge of a thick piece will be no wider than the skived edge of a thin piece.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a blank making machine, a cutter member and a work-supporting member, one of said members being automatically variable in its angle relatively to the other member according to the thickness of the work, whereby the distance between the points where the cutter member enters and leaves the work will be practically uniform in pieces of different thicknesses.

2. A blank making machine comprising a cutter adapted to act in a given plane, a movable work-supporting bed which is inclined relatively to the plane of the cutter, and means for automatically varying the inclination of the bed relatively to the cutter according to the thickness of the work whereby the distance between the points where the cutter enters and leaves the work will be practically uniform in pieces of different thicknesses.

3. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a swinging bed member movable toward and from the fixed member, said swinging member having an arm, a block pivotally connected with said arm, a rod passing through the block and having a collar engaging one i side of the block, a spring engaging. the ,other side of" the block, and means for re ciprocating said rod.

' 4:. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a movable bed member 'having curved ribs, curved bearing ways engaging said ribs, and me'ansforautomatically oscillating the said movable member toward and from the fixed bed member in the path prescribed by said ribs and ways. V 5. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a movable bed member having a ridge or shoulder in line with the plane of move ment of the cutter edge, and means for automatically oscillating said movable bed member toward and from the fixed bed member about a center occupied. by. said ridge or shoulder.

6. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a swinging bed member movable toward and from the fixed member, a yieldingly project-- ed plug carried by said swinging member to press the work against the fixed bed member,

means for actuating said swinging member.

7. In a blank making machine, a cutter, a

V work-support comprising a fixed member at an acute angle to the plane of action of the cutter and a movable member automatically variable in its angle relatively to the fixed member according to the thickness of the work, said movable member of the work-support having a recess, and a gage for the top of the work occupying said recess.

8. In a blank making machine, a cutter, a work-support comprising a fixed member at an acute angle to'the plane of action of the cutter and a movable member automatically variable in its angle relatively to thefixed member according to the thickness of the work, said movable member of the work-support having a recess and having a plate, and a gage pivotally connected with said plate and extending into said recess.

9. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a swinging bed member movable toward and from the fixed member and having a recess, a plate having a gage pivotally connected therewith, a washer beneath said plate, and means for securing the plate and washer to the swinging member, whereby different thicknesses of washers may be employed to vary the position'of the gage.

10. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a

swinging bed member movable toward and from the fixed member, a bar adjustably mounted below the swinging member, a carrier pivotally connected with said bar, a gage connected to said carrier, and connections whereby movement of the swinging member toward the fixed member will actuate the carrier to move the gage out of position.

11. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a swinging bed member movable toward and from thefixed member, a carrier pivoted to a fixed support, a gage connected to said carrier, and a link connecting said carrier and swinging member whereby the gage may be swung away from the swinging member.

12. A blank making machine comprising a reciprocating cutter, a fixed bed member, a swinging bed member movable toward and from the fixed member, a carrier pivotally mounted to a fixed support, a gage pivotally connected to the carrier and having a pin entering an opening of said carrier, a spring to press the gage against the swinging member, and a link connecting the carrier and swinging member.

13. A blank making machine comprising a fixed bed member, a reciprocating cutter working against one face of said fixed member, the latter having an inclined rear surface, a swinging bed member having a ridge or shoulder in line with the path of movement of the cutter, the axis on which the swinging member moves being at said ridge or shoulder, and means for oscillating the swinging member to clamp the work between it and the inclined rear face of the fixed bed member. s

14. A blank making machine comprising a fixed bed member, a reciprocating cutter working against one face of said fixed member, the latter having an inclined rear surface, a swinging bed member having a ridge or shoulder in line with the path of movement of the cutter and adapted to clamp the 10o work against the inclined rear face of the fixed bed member, the axis on which the swinging member moves being at said ridge or shoulder, a gage for determining the position of one edge of the work when placed against the swinging bed member, and means for automatically shifting said gage out of the path of the cutter before the latter reaches the work.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

E. BATCHELDER. 

